Most closely associated with Mediterranean cooking but also very prevalent in Asian food, the…

Method

Gently cook the onion, carrots and celery in the oil in a large saucepan for 20 mins, until soft. Splash in water if they stick. Add the sugar, garlic, purée, herbs and courgettes and cook for 4-5 mins on a medium heat until they brown a little.

Pour in the beans, tomatoes and stock, then simmer for 20 mins. If you’re freezing it, cool and do so now (freeze for up to three months). If not, add half the Parmesan and the pasta and simmer for 6-8 mins until pasta cooked. Sprinkle with basil and remaining Parmesan to serve. If frozen, defrost then re-heat before adding pasta and cheese and continuing as above.

Ads by Google

Comments, questions and tips

This is a delicious soup. As I had fresh broad beans I put these in instead of a tin of butter beans, which worked very well. I didn't have fresh basil so I put in a sprinkling of dried. Also I added a lot less sugar. We added the Parmesan at the table.

Kim Bambrough

25th Mar, 2017

5.05

This is a very tasty soup. Very much like minestrone soup that i usually make. However, I did not add the sugar, it was actually quite sweet without it, added orzo as I had no small pasta, and sprinkled the parmesan over before serving but not as much as the recipe. Have saved this recipe as it is a define make again!

ladyruskin

8th Jan, 2017

This is a firm favourite in our house. I don't use sugar as find it makes the soup far too sweet. I sometimes add a bit of bacon with the onion, carrot & celery for my carnivorous husband. Also the rest of the family are not courgette fans so substitute that with another green veg. I leave out the beans to make it more soupy and serve with Parmesan for sprinkling and garlic bread. Yum.

johnandmin

15th Dec, 2016

5.05

Great tasting ,fun to make and smells so nice when cooking . Just the thing for a winter meal . Think it tastes even better the next day.

samfoodie

10th Nov, 2016

5.05

Tasty, healthy soup for work. The only changes were I used dried thyme and orzo pasta and forgot about the basil. Served the parmesan separate...it definitely needs this. Nice warming soup for winter.

ketoth

21st Sep, 2016

Way too much parmesan for my taste. Didn't like the texture it gave the soup. But I could tell that apart from that I'd love it, so if I were to make it again I'd probably only use a quarter the amount of parmesan or none at all.

boulding2

21st Jun, 2016

3.8

I also left out the sugar and didn't add the cheese until the end, I also added some crispy wholemeal croutons on top and then sprinkled the cheese on top I also added some chopped chorizo to it yes I know I'm bad but it was delicious

baggieslad

15th Feb, 2016

I left out the sugar. I can't see why you would spoil a wholesome soup with 2 tablespoons of sugar. The second time around I only used the Parmesan to sprinkle on at the end, as the family didn't like the stringy cheese within the soup. Also as a general comment with soups, if you are using a stock cube, there is rarely any need for adding salt, as the cubes are very salty in their own right.
A very tasty soup which once modified has been a real hit.

jimmyc30

21st Aug, 2014

Fantastic! Added small chunks of potato and replaced the small pasta shapes for orzo. Left out the sugar. Delicious!

MissCally81

9th Jan, 2014

4.05

I agree with some of the comments below - only use half the sugar (or leave it out completely) and if you want more of a soupy consistency then add much more stock - it definitely came out more like a runny pasta dish. Delicious though! I will definitely make it again!

Pages

I am having a dinner party Saturday night and wondered how early I can make this soup: 24 or 48 hours?

baggieslad

2nd Dec, 2013

I'm not a great fan of courgettes. Does anyone have a suggestion for an alternative.
If I was to retain the courgettes, I would be concerned about freezing them, or more the the point, defrosting them - do they not defrost into a mush, or does that not matter if in a soup?

goodfoodteam

18th Dec, 2013

Hi there, The courguettes will be fine to freeze, however if you prefer you can swap for aubergines, extra onions, carrot or celery, chopped peppers.

Be the first to suggest a tip for this recipe...Got your own twist on this recipe? Or do you have suggestions for possible swaps and additions? We’d love to hear your ideas.

Reader offer: £10 off + 2 free craft beers

Skills & know how

As well as helping you decide what to cook we can also help you to cook it. From tips on cookery techniques to facts and information about health and nutrition, we’ve a wealth of foodie know how for you to explore.

About BBC Good Food

We’re all about good recipes, and about quality home cooking that everyone can enjoy. Whether you’re looking for some healthy inspiration or learning how to cook a decadent dessert, we’ve trustworthy guidance for all your foodie needs.

Our recipes

All our recipes are tested thoroughly by us to make sure they’re suitable for your kitchen at home. We know many of you are concerned about healthy eating, so we send them to a qualified nutritionist for thorough analysis too.

This website is made by BBC Worldwide.

BBC Worldwide is a commercial company that is owned by the BBC (and just the BBC). No money from the licence fee was used to create this page. The profits we make from it go back to BBC programme-makers to help fund great new BBC programmes.